TECHNOLOGY

Home decor brand adds reward-based payment card program
To stand out in a crowded category, At Home is rewarding shoppers for their loyalty. The home décor superstore launched a new credit card program through a partnership with Synchrony Financial. Based on a multi-year agreement, At Home shoppers now have the opportunity to sign up for one of two credit cards that reward them for all brand purchases.
Costco, UPS team up with University of Washington on omnichannel project
The University of Washington is teaming up with Costco, UPS, Nordstrom and other stakeholders on a new project that aims to improve the way consumers receive their goods.

The SCTL Center Urban Freight Lab says it will be working to improve the management of both public and private operations of urban goods delivery systems. Urban Freight Lab members plan to engage in strategic applied research projects at the SCTL Center, and help identify priority problems for future research.

Founding members of the SCTL Center Urban Freight Lab include:

Walmart outlines 3 reasons why forward-leaning retailers are bullish on curbside pickup

With its recent acquisition of Jet.com, a commitment to growing its online grocery business with a convenient grocery pick-up option and an extensive investment against delivering a seamless digital shopping experience, Walmart is once again flipping the script on what it means to compete for America's shopping dollar. The company's investment in grocery pick-up services represents the cover of that new script - and Walmart is expanding that service to 600 stores this year and 500 stores next year.
Sam’s Club’s unique approach to digital disruption

While digital disruption continues to stymie a good part of the industry, Sam’s Club is using the concept to its advantage. The company’s VP of omnichannel member communication and innovation, Darshan Gad, and executive VP of operations Don Frieson, teamed up at the “Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit” event last week in Rogers, Ark., to discuss how the chain is using disruption to drive innovation.
AmazonFresh cuts delivery fees for Prime members

Amazon’s Seattle-based drive-up grocery store may be making headlines, but that’s not its only grocery-related change. Amazon Prime members in select cities are now entitled to a delivery fee discount for AmazonFresh, the pure play retailer’s online grocery service. The program, which was $299 per year, is now $14.99 per month for Prime members in available markets. This fee is in addition to Amazon’s $99 annual Prime membership fee, according to the company’s website.
Report: Amazon considering opening members-only convenience stores

Watch out, 7-Eleven and other c-store retailers. Amazon is thinking about entering your turf. Having opened bookstores and with a planned entry into the drive-up grocery store space under construction in Seattle, the Internet giant is now considering opening convenience stores, reported the Wall Street Journal. The c-stores, with an internal code name of “Project Como,” would be available only to AmazonFresh subscribers, according to the report.
Lowe’s Foods drives loyalty with unique offering

At a time when loyalty programs are becoming ubiquitous, Lowes Foods’ new service is breaking the mold. The grocery chain is launching a promotional reward campaign in 75 stores across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. For every $10 spent at Lowes Foods stores, customers will receive one stamp — either traditional or virtual — at checkout, good toward VIVO kitchen knives, knife blocks and cutting boards. The promotion runs until February 26, 2017.
Sears’ loyalty members get ‘holiday bonus’

Sears is launching a new program designed to give its loyal shoppers the best shot at holiday promotions. Members of the chain’s Shop Your Way loyalty program will get a jump on their holiday shopping during this weekend’s “Sears Days Lowest Prices of the Season Member Bonus Event.” However, there is always a chance these items could be further discounted as the holiday season ramps up.
Forecast calls for early holiday blitz in stores

Nearly half of holiday shoppers will hit the stores before Nov. 1 — and many will be looking for deals. That’s according to a report by RetailMeNot, a digital savings destination connecting consumers with retailers, restaurants and brands, both online and in-store. Seventy-three percent of shoppers said they plan to shop in brick-and-mortar stores this season, and 50% said that the deals they find will help them determine which days to shop in-store.
Retail Innovation: Tapping into the Tech Ecosystem

Many retailers could be forgiven for thinking that their biggest challenge – satisfying the changing expectations of a digital-savvy and fickle customer base – just keeps on getting harder.